Calgary restauranteur acquitted on Covid charges after business crushed by pandemic policies

Calgary pizzeria owner Jesse Johnson won his day in court Wednesday, when a city court acquitted the businessman for charges of not enforcing Covid-19 mandates during the pandemic. 

According to Mocha Bezirgan of Media Bezirgan, Johnson promised to sue the government after proclaiming, “These b*stards they literally tried to break me — financially, mentally, and spiritually.” 

“His business in Calgary, Alberta was destroyed by the government for refusing to discriminate based on vaccination status,” the post reads.

“Today the charges against him were dropped, and he plans to sue for damages, appears to have no regrets, and calls for other restaurants to never discriminate when the next crisis comes.”

Johnson was the victim of heavy-handed city regulations that dictated how businesses could operate and whom they could serve during the pandemic. His somewhat pyrrhic court victory was assisted by a court challenge initiated by The Democracy Fund (TDF), according to True North. 

In October 2021, the pizzeria found itself the center of a legal storm when the city of Calgary accused Johnson of violating several bylaws that included allowing customers in his restaurant without their vaccination papers. He was also charged with not posting the city’s Covid health order policies in his establishment. 

The city suspended his business license after sending undercover inspectors to the pizzeria to assess Johnson’s compliance with the Covid mandates, according to True North.

Johnson challenged the suspension, saying his clients had a right to medical privacy.

The court took just 10 minutes to acquit Johnson this week, prompting cheers from his supporters outside the courthouse. 

According to a TDF news release, Without Papers Pizza “was frequently voted as having the best pizza in Calgary.” 

But the business has been closed to insolvency due to the city’s persecution.